Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday called upon the youth, both boys and girls, to work hard, with sincerity and honesty, for their capacity-building as they "are the one who have to provide leadership" and steer the country and nation to the path of progress and prosperity.
He was speaking as chief guest at the distribution of 'placement letters' among those selected under National Internship Programme (NIP) on the occasion of NIP's Provincial launch held at Governor House here.
The well-conceived National Internship Programme (NIP) was launched by President Pervez Musharraf on March 24 this year at Convention Center, Islamabad. Under the programme, youth under 25 years of age, having 16 years in education and graduated in various disciplines from HEC-approved universities, are to be paid Rs 10,000 per month for one year for internship.
The Prime Minister recalled that when he had passed his MBA from Karachi University, he, too, underwent internship for one year-for Rs 250 per month. He said that the purpose of launching the internship programme was to help the fresh graduates to acclimatise with office environment besides having an interaction with the people and build up self-confidence.
Shaukat said that whatever resources would be required for this programme would be provided entirely by the Federal Government. He told the gathering that the programme has been so designed that the element of discretion has been totally eliminated, because the present government wants to undo the culture of 'sifarish', and promote merit.
Under the programme, he said, some 80,000 applications were received, out of which 60,000 were through internet, "and all those selected are going to get placement letters today". "It is for the first time in the history of Pakistan that a project has been launched which is totally devoid of element of 'safarish'," he said, and added that the objective is to prepare the youth to take strides forward.
Shaukat advised the youth, provided with internship, not to sit idle in their offices, but keep asking for work from their seniors. If this would be the spirit, it would go to benefit the country as nations do not progress if their youth chose to sit idle without involving themselves in work. Citing the example of China, he said its people are hard working and the entire nation is motivated and Pakistan's youth should learn from them.
"This one year of internship", he said, "can play a very important role in your life as it will develop self-confidence in you, and you will learn a lot and get motivation."
He hoped that the youth would work seriously during their one year of internship and improve their skills which would help brighten their future and the future of country as a consequence thereof. He ended his speech with the slogan "Pakistan Zindabad," responded loudly by hundreds of youth under the shamiana.
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